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GLENDALE, Calif., IHOP® Restaurants announces that it is going by a new name – IHObSM. Since the news broke last week on the brand’s social media sites, fans can’t get enough with more than 30,000* people speculating what the change could “b”, guessing everything from bacon to brunch to bananas. The change in fact celebrates the debut of the brand’s new Ultimate Steakburgers, a line-up of seven mouth-watering, all-natural burgers. Each Ultimate Steakburger starts with 100% USDA choice, Black Angus ground beef that is smashed on the grill to sear in the juices and flavor before being topped with premium ingredients and sandwiched between a buttered and grilled Brioche bun.

To show the brand is as serious about burgers as it is about its world-famous pancakes, it’s flipped the “p” to a “b” in their iconic name for the time being, including its Twitter handle. A flagship IHOb restaurant in Hollywood, CA, has also been completely re-burgered and will play host to the VIB launch party the evening of June 11. But even those who aren’t near Los Angeles can get in on burgermania at IHOb — for a limited time, the new Ultimate Steakburgers are available with unlimited fries and a drink starting at $6.99 at participating locations**.

IHOb’s Ultimate Steakburgers come in seven varieties that will satisfy burger cravings morning, noon and night. The line-up, which includes both distinctive and classic flavors, is available at IHOb restaurants nationwide starting today:

Big Brunch – IHOb knows how to put breakfast on a burger. The Big Brunch Steakburger includes IHOP’s custom-cured, hickory-smoked bacon, a fried egg, a crispy browned potato, American cheese and a delicious new signature burger sauce that compliments the savory flavors.
Cowboy BBQ – This may be how the West was won. This sky-high Steakburger includes two thick, crispy onion rings, custom-cured hickory-smoked bacon, American cheese, lettuce, tomato and mouthwatering tangy BBQ sauce.
Jalapeño Kick – For those who like a little excitement in their lives, there’s the Jalapeño Kick Steakburger with a spicy blend of sautéed jalapeños, Serrano peppers and onion, custom-cured hickory-smoked bacon, Pepper-Jack cheese, lettuce, tomato and jalapeño mayo.
Mushroom & Swiss – A match made in burger heaven with a blend of sautéed mushrooms and onions, Swiss cheese and creamy mayo.
The Classic – Truly a burger classic…melting American cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles and the brand’s new signature Steakburger sauce.
The Classic with Bacon – Only bacon can improve on an American classic, which is made with custom-cured hickory-smoked bacon, melting American cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles and the brand’s signature burger sauce.
Mega Monster – No need to fear this monster…two premium Steakburger patties, American and White Cheddar cheeses, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles and the brand’s signature sauce.
“Burgers are a quintessential, American menu item so it makes perfect sense that IHOP, one of the most iconic, all-American comfort-food brands in the world, would go over the top to create a delicious line-up of quality burgers that hit the spot any time of day,” said Chef Nevielle Panthaky, Head of Culinary at IHOb. “Our new Ultimate Steakburgers are made with all-natural, 100% USDA Choice, Black Angus ground beef that is smashed on the grill to create a sear that locks in the juices and flavor. With seven different burger builds, all Steakburgers are custom built and piled high with premium quality ingredients and unique, signature sauces in between a buttered and grilled Brioche bun. There’s definitely a juicy Steakburger for whatever you might be craving at any time of day! The IHOP Culinary team took the creation of these Steakburgers as seriously as we take innovation around our pancakes, which means they’re soon to become world famous, too.”

To spread the news about their new burgers and their new name, IHOb is shouting it from the rooftops. Literally. Droga5’s latest creative campaign for the brand puts an overly-excited IHOb manager atop IHOP’s iconic and slightly dangerous blue rooftop. From this precarious position, the manager risks life and limb to spread the word… or should we say, the letter, b. For burgers. The spot will air nationally on TV, online and on social media beginning today, and can be viewed here.

“Everyone knows that IHOP makes world-famous pancakes so we felt like the best way to convince them that we are as serious about our new line of Ultimate Steakburgers as we are about our pancakes, was to change our name to IHOb,” said Brad Haley, Chief Marketing Officer for IHOb restaurants. “We’ve pancaked pancakes for 60 years now so it’s the perfect time to start burgerin’ burgers, and we’re kicking it off by flipping the ‘p’ in IHOP to a ‘b’ for burgers. And, when you try them, I think you’ll agree with me that IHOb’s new line of Ultimate Steakburgers are so good that I’d put them up against anyone’s … just like our pancakes.”

Guests can visit IHOP.com to learn more about the new Ultimate Steakburgers, the IHOb flip, and the flagship burger location, and find their nearest restaurant. For more information, images, interview requests or in-studio cooking demos, please contact Alexandra Shapiro at AShapiro@devriesglobal.com.

*Based on the number of Tweets responding to the IHOb post

**Bundle offer for a limited time only. Price and participation may vary by location.

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF PANCAKES, LLC
For 60 years, IHOP has been a leader, innovator and expert in all things breakfast, any time of day. The chain offers 65 different signature, fresh, made-to-order breakfast options, a wide selection of popular lunch and dinner items as well as meals under 600 calories. IHOP restaurants offer guests an affordable, everyday dining experience with warm and friendly service. Today, there are more than 1,750 IHOP restaurants around the world, including restaurants in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam as well as Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, Lebanon, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Thailand, India and The Philippines. IHOP restaurants are franchised by affiliates of Glendale, Calif.-based Dine Brands Global (NYSE: DIN).

This afternoon Starbucks will close more than 8,000 stores and begin a new chapter in our history.

In 1983 I took my first trip to Italy. As I walked the streets of Milan, I saw cafés and espresso bars on every street. When I ventured inside I experienced something powerful: a sense of community and human connection.

I returned home determined to create a similar experience in America—a new “third place” between home and work—and build a different kind of company. I wanted our stores to be comfortable, safe spaces where everyone had the opportunity to enjoy a coffee, sit, read, write, host a meeting, date, debate, discuss or just relax.

Today 100 million customers enter Starbucks® stores each week. In an ever-changing society, we still aspire to be a place where everyone feels welcome.

Sometimes, however, we fall short, disappointing ourselves and all of you.

Recently, a Starbucks manager in Philadelphia called the police a few minutes after two black men arrived at a store and sat waiting for a friend. They had not yet purchased anything when the police were called. After police arrived they arrested the two men. The situation was reprehensible and does not represent our company’s mission and enduring values.

After investigating what happened, we determined that insufficient support and training, a company policy that defined customers as paying patrons—versus anyone who enters a store—and bias led to the decision to call the police. Our ceo, Kevin Johnson, met with the two men to express our deepest apologies, reconcile and commit to ongoing actions to reaffirm our guiding principles.

The incident has prompted us to reflect more deeply on all forms of bias, the role of our stores in communities and our responsibility to ensure that nothing like this happens again at Starbucks. The reflection has led to a long-term commitment to reform systemwide policies, while elevating inclusion and equity in all we do.

Today we take another step to ensure we live up to our mission:

FOR SEVERAL HOURS THIS AFTERNOON, STARBUCKS WILL CLOSE STORES AND OFFICES TO DISCUSS HOW TO MAKE STARBUCKS A PLACE WHERE ALL PEOPLE FEEL WELCOME.
What will we be doing? More than 175,000 Starbucks partners (that’s what we call our employees) will be sharing life experiences, hearing from others, listening to experts, reflecting on the realities of bias in our society and talking about how all of us create public spaces where everyone feels like they belong—because they do. This conversation will continue at our company and become part of how we train all of our partners.

Discussing racism and discrimination is not easy, and various people have helped us create a learning experience that we hope will be educational, participatory and make us a better company. We want this to be an open and honest conversation starting with our partners. We will also make the curriculum available to the public.

To our Starbucks partners: I want to thank you for your participation today and for the wonderful work you do every day to make Starbucks a third place for millions of customers.

To our customers: I want to thank you for your patience and support as we renew our promise to make Starbucks what I envisioned it could be nearly 40 years ago—an inclusive gathering place for all.

We’ll see you tomorrow.

With deep respect,

Howard

PHILADELPHIA (APRIL 17, 2018) — For the past several days, Starbucks ceo Kevin Johnson and the gentlemen involved in the incident at the Philadelphia Starbucks store have engaged in constructive discussions about this issue as well as what is happening in communities across the country.

Mr. Johnson apologized on behalf of Starbucks,and the conversation continues today about how this painful incident can become a vehicle for positive social change. We have a situation – and the people at the center of it have come together with civility, common purpose and a willingness to listen and work towards a solution.Together we ask that the community respect this process.There will be more to follow.

About Starbucks
Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting high-quality arabica coffee. Today, with more than 25,000 stores around the globe, Starbucks is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit our stores or online at news.starbucks.com and Starbucks.com.

SEATTLE – For the first time since it was introduced in 2010, Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ: SBUX) is extending Happy Hour beyond Frappuccino to include deals and offers on select beverages including espresso, iced tea, Frappuccino and more. But that’s not all – these invitation-only offers are also being extended all the way through the year to give customers more ways, and days, to get what they love from Starbucks.

Happy Hour kicks off this Thursday at participating Starbucks stores in the U.S. and Canada, with 50% off any espresso beverage from 3 p.m. to close*, local time for customers who receive an invitation.

Happy Hour events and offers will vary so customers will be notified of upcoming activities through the Starbucks mobile app or directly to the email address provided, if they have opted to engage with Starbucks digitally.

This evolution in Starbucks Happy Hour promotion is part of the company’s ongoing strategy to strengthen digitally enabled customer relationships beyond its Starbucks Rewards™ loyalty program – which currently has nearly 15 million active users – creating a more seamless and relevant experience for all customers both in and outside of Starbucks stores.

“With nearly 100 million customers in our stores every week, we’re looking for more opportunities to engage directly and personally, providing them with special benefits and offers that are meaningful,” said Matt Ryan, executive vice president and chief strategy officer for Starbucks. “This shift in Happy Hour is just one example of how we can further establish, strengthen and develop digital relationships with our customers.”

Earlier this week, the company expanded the ability to Mobile Order & Pay to all mobile app users, a feature previously available only to Starbucks Rewards™ members. This feature will continue to roll out in the coming weeks for new users of the Starbucks mobile apps.

And, beginning next Monday, customers who log on to Starbucks in-store WiFi will be asked to provide an email address once, and will be connected for all future sessions for that device, creating a more seamless customer experience. In return, they will be among the first to know about the latest news, deals and offers from Starbucks – including future Happy Hour offers.

OAK BROOK, Ill., March 6, 2018 – Today, McDonald’s USA announced that fresh beef, cooked right when ordered, in all Quarter Pounder and Signature Crafted Recipe burgers is now available across approximately 3,500 restaurants in select markets and is on track for rollout to all participating restaurants in the contiguous U.S. by early May*.

The move to fresh beef quarter-pound burgers is the latest in McDonald’s food journey to build a better McDonald’s. It’s also one of the latest customer-led initiatives in the U.S. that builds on several other recent milestones, including All Day Breakfast, committing to only sourcing cage-free eggs by 2025 in the U.S. and serving chicken not treated with antibiotics important to human medicine**.

“The switch to fresh beef quarter-pound burgers is the most significant change to our system and restaurant operations since All Day Breakfast,” said McDonald’s USA President Chris Kempczinski. “Over the past two years, we have been listening to our customers and evolving our business to build a better McDonald’s. We are proud to bring our customers a hotter and juicier quarter-pound burger at the speed and convenience they expect from us.”

In March 2017, McDonald’s USA announced the switch to fresh beef, cooked right when ordered, quarter-pound burgers as a part of a broader commitment to bring customers more craveable and delicious food offerings. The 100% fresh beef quarter-pound burgers are now available in approximately 3,500 restaurants across a number of markets including:

Atlanta

Charlotte

Memphis

Miami

Nashville

Orlando

Raleigh

Salt Lake City

Over the next month, the company will be rapidly completing the transition to fresh beef quarter-pound burgers, cooked right when ordered, in additional markets, including Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and more, with full rollout to participating restaurants by early May.

The test markets in Dallas and Tulsa found customers love the hotter and juicier*** fresh beef quarter-pound burgers – the company saw a 90 percent customer satisfaction from customers who order the burgers, and 90 percent intent to repurchase.

All McDonald’s fresh beef quarter-pound burgers use 100 percent beef with absolutely no fillers, additives or preservatives. Quarter-pound burgers include the Quarter Pounder, Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Double Quarter Pounder and Signature Crafted Recipe burgers.

New Signature Crafted Recipe Sandwich
McDonald’s continues to innovate its Signature Crafted Recipes sandwiches, which feature premium ingredients and unique flavor combinations. Next month, McDonald’s will introduce another flavorful, premium sandwich – Garlic White Cheddar. This Signature Crafted Recipe sandwich is made with a fresh beef, quarter-pound burger or chicken (Buttermilk Crispy Chicken or Artisan Grilled Chicken) and will be available at participating U.S. restaurants.

Garlic White Cheddar: A mouthwatering, savory combination of creamy garlic aioli and crispy garlic chips piled up with a juicy tomato slice, crisp iceberg lettuce and real white cheddar cheese. Freshly prepared on a fresh beef quarter-pound burger or your choice of chicken (Buttermilk Crispy Chicken or Artisan Grilled Chicken) on a toasted Artisan Roll.

Other new Signature Crafted Recipes sandwiches are also expected to debut later this year.

SEATTLE, Today, Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) and Chase (NYSE: JPM) announce the availability of the Starbucks Rewards™ Visa® Card, a co-brand credit card integrated directly into the Starbucks Rewards™ loyalty program. Customers using the card earn Stars with every purchase both in and out of Starbucks stores wherever Visa is accepted worldwide, and can be redeemed for food and beverage items at more than 8,000 participating* Starbucks locations. Cardmembers will also become members of the Starbucks Rewards loyalty program, receiving exclusive perks and benefits already enjoyed by more than 14 million members daily.

“It’s important to us to make earning Rewards as easy for our customers as possible, and the Starbucks Rewards Visa Card is a powerful tool for us to do that because of how easily it fits into their daily lives,” said Matt Ryan, executive vice president and chief strategy officer for Starbucks. “This credit card also makes every day more rewarding for Starbucks and Chase customers through the ability to quickly earn Stars and benefits – including more food and beverage Rewards for any occasion.”

“We want to give cardmembers who can’t live without their Starbucks beverage an easy way to earn more Rewards,” said Jennifer Roberts, head of Digital Products for Chase. “The Starbucks Rewards Visa Card lets them earn Stars on every purchase they make so their next cup is that much more rewarding.”

Cardmembers will receive a physical card within 7-10 days of their application being approved, and a digital card will be immediately loaded into the Starbucks® mobile app for customers to start earning Stars right away.

New cardmembers can enjoy the following benefits:
New Cardmember Offer: 2,500 Stars after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening (equal to 20 food or beverage items)
Bonus Stars: 250 Stars when using their Starbucks Rewards™ Visa® Card to load their registered Starbucks Card within the Starbucks® mobile app for the first time
More Stars:
1 Star for every $4 spent outside of Starbucks stores
1 Star for every $1 digitally loaded to their registered Starbucks Card in the Starbucks® mobile app, using their Starbucks Rewards™ Visa® Card, in addition to the 2 stars per $1 earned when paying with their registered Starbucks Card as a member of the Starbucks Rewards™ loyalty program
Instant Gold Status: Cardmembers will automatically receive Gold Status within the Starbucks Rewards™ program
8 Barista Picks: Curated food or beverage Rewards selected by baristas and automatically loaded to the cardmembers Starbucks Rewards account
Starbucks Rewards™ Visa® Card has an annual fee of $49. To apply for the Starbucks Rewards Visa credit card, visit starbucks.com/visacard.

The new credit card is an expansion of the ongoing relationship between the two companies. Chase Merchant Services is the payment processing partner for Starbucks stores in the U.S. and Canada, and Chase Pay is accepted at participating Starbucks stores in the U.S., as well as through the Starbucks mobile app. A second co-branded product, the Starbucks Rewards™ Visa® Prepaid Card will launch later this year.

About Starbucks Coffee Company
Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting high-quality arabica coffee. Today, with more than 28,000 stores around the globe, Starbucks is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit our stores or visit news.starbucks.com and Starbucks.com.

About Chase
Chase is the U.S. consumer and commercial banking business of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM), a leading global financial services firm with assets of $2.5 trillion and operations worldwide. Chase serves nearly half of America’s households with a broad range of financial services, including personal banking, credit cards, mortgages, auto financing, investment advice, small business loans and payment processing. Customers can choose how and where they want to bank: 5,100 branches, 16,000 ATMs, mobile, online and by phone.

As the snowflakes fall, mountain slopes from California to Canada promise fresh powder and unforgettable memories for skiers and snowboarders alike. Whether steep black diamond runs or cocktails by a fireplace sound like the ideal escape for you, Marriott International’s collection of world-class mountain hotels in the Americas provide a dazzling array of ski-season experiences. With flakes falling for the next several months, now is the time to plan a snow-filled stay.

Northstar – California has packed powder, over 45 open trails and 17 lifts ready to ride. Set mid-mountain, The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe offers countless winter activities and ski-in/ski-out access. New this year, The Après Adventurist at the resort will light the in-suite fireplace, prepare snacks and warm beverages, such as hot chocolate for the kids and hot toddies for the adults. A Ski Valet and Mountain Concierge service is available for every hotel guest.

Vail – Colorado has had over 80 inches of snow this season and over 180 trails are open for winter adventure lovers. Hotel Talisa, Vail recently completed a transformation and this luxurious new ski-in/ski-out resort offers sleek sophistication. Located at the base of Vail Mountain, Hotel Talisa is a destination for authentic mountain hospitality. Leave the car behind as the resort provides complimentary shuttle service to both Lionshead Village and Vail Village throughout the year.

Aspen Snowmass – Colorado has 90 percent of the intermediate terrain open for those still learning. Stay at The St. Regis Aspen Resort and ski until early April. Nestled at the base of Aspen mountain, the hotel recently completed a renovation to the lobby bar and debuted a new restaurant for this ski season. Retreat to sophisticated mountain luxury rooms, suites and residences, each of which is inspired by classic mountain sunsets.

Park City – Utah has over 3,000 acres open with 180 trails ready to ski in the Beehive State. Hotel Park City, an Autograph Collection Hotel is an “all suite” hotel in the mountains of northern Utah, located alongside the ski slopes in Park City. Couples will enjoy more space since each of the 99 suites features a cozy fireplace, king-size bed, jetted tub and a private balcony with gorgeous views of the mountains.

Stowe – Vermont has had over 130 inches of snow this season and has over 90 trails open. Located in Vermont’s Green Mountains, Fairfield Inn & Suites Waterbury Stowe is ideally positioned within 30 minutes of incredible skiing options including Stowe which is now part of Epic Pass. Relax after a day outside in rooms including deluxe kings and luxurious fireplace suites. Beyond the hotel, the area is known for world-class farm-to-table cuisine and numerous craft breweries.

Whistler Blackcomb – Canada has over 100” of base and over 130 runs open at this international ski destination. With an incredible location at the base of Whistler Blackcomb, Delta Hotels Whistler Village Suites has access to world-class skiing and the many iconic attractions for which Whistler Village is widely acclaimed. Warm up in the resort suites with a fireplace or with a soak in one of the several hot tubs.

Mont-Tremblant – Canada has 80 percent of open terrain and over 80 trails ready to ski. In Québec, the Residence Inn Mont Tremblant Manoir Labelle is in the heart of Tremblant Pedestrian Village known for shopping and dining. Start your day with a free breakfast buffet featuring healthy and hearty options. After a fun-filled day on the slopes, settle into apartment-style suites or enjoy some time in the outdoor hot tubs or unwind near the outdoor fire pit.

Explore travel destinations, activities and experiences with winter rates throughout the Americas:
www.marriott.com
www.spg.com

About Marriott International, Inc.
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of more than 6,500 properties in 30 leading hotel brands spanning 127 countries and territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts all around the world. The company also operates award-winning loyalty programs: Marriott Rewards®, which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards®, and Starwood Preferred Guest®. For more information, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com. In addition, connect with us on Facebook and @MarriottIntl on Twitter and Instagram.

CHICAGO, CNA today announced the appointment of Michael Nardiello as Senior Vice President, Underwriting for Large/Complex Property. In this role, Nardiello will be based in New York City and responsible for implementing underwriting strategies and operational objectives for Large/Complex Property business. He reports to Kevin Leidwinger, President and Chief Operating Officer, CNA Commercial.

“Michael’s deep underwriting acumen and extensive broker relationships will increase CNA’s ability to capitalize on profitable growth opportunities in the large/complex property insurance marketplace,” said Drew Feldman, Senior Vice President and leader of CNA Property. “His proven leadership and insurance expertise make him well suited to further strengthen CNA’s property capabilities.”

Nardiello joins CNA from Sompo International, where he most recently served as Senior Vice President, Global Property Product Leader. Over the course of Nardiello’s 23-year insurance career, he has held a variety of underwriting and management positions of increasing responsibility at AIG and Marsh.

Nardiello has a bachelor’s degree from Loyola University Maryland.

About CNA
CNA is the eighth largest commercial insurer in the United States. CNA provides a broad range of standard and specialized property and casualty insurance products and services for businesses and professionals in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Asia, backed by 120 years of experience and more than $45 billion of assets. For more information about CNA, visit our website at www.cna.com.

CHICAGO, Dec. 5, 2017 — CNA and Aon Affinity are now offering enhanced professional insurance solutions for dentists and dental practices nationally. Earlier this year, CNA and Aon Affinity announced this new partnership, which is available through the Aon Affinity Dentist’s Advantage program.

The program’s professional liability coverage solution now includes:

Media Expenses coverage, which adds a $25,000 limit for media expenses relating to an adverse event, to help ensure that a policyholder’s professional reputation remains intact.
Coverage for personal and advertising injury.
License protection coverage in addition to the limits of liability.
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) coverage limit increased to $30,000 aggregate.
Coverage for property damage caused by a dental incident up to the Professional Liability Limits of Liability.
“The Dentist’s Advantage program continues to deliver a broad range of coverages and services designed to address the unique exposures dentists face in today’s business environment,” said Michael Loughran, President, Aon Affinity Healthcare. “Customers can feel confident that the professional liability insurance coverage, services and benefits they receive through Dentist’s Advantage will continue with our new program insurer, CNA.”

“For more than a half century, Aon has provided dentists with an industry leading Professional Liability insurance program,” said John Brand, Senior Vice President, CNA. “Our partnership will bring additional benefits to our Dentist’s Advantage members, because it leverages CNA’s extensive experience, products, services and industry knowledge to deliver insurance solutions designed to address our customers’ needs.”

The Dentist’s Advantage program includes:

Flexible coverage limits
Claim settlement only with policyholder consent
Legal defense fees and costs in addition to the limits of liability
Availability for all dental specialties in all 50 states
License protection
Coverage for employees and independent contractor dental hygienists
24/7 hotline staffed by experts specializing in dental risk management
By bringing together two industry leaders, Dentist’s Advantage and CNA, customers have a best-in-class program — from coverage to risk education to service. This powerful partnership, with almost 100 years of combined experience in the dental professional liability insurance market, capitalizes on the marketing, distribution, underwriting, risk control and claim experience of both organizations, to provide insurance solutions that meet the evolving needs of dental practices.

Dentist’s Advantage is a division of Affinity Insurance Services, Inc. (TX 13695); (AR 100106022); in CA & MN, AIS Affinity Insurance Agency, Inc. (CA 0795465); in OK, AIS Affinity Insurance Services Inc.; in CA, Aon Affinity Insurance Services, Inc. (CA 0G94493); Aon Direct Insurance Administrators and Berkely Insurance Agency; and in NY, AIS Affinity Insurance Agency.

All descriptions, summaries or highlights of coverage are for general informational purposes only and do not amend, alter or modify the actual terms or conditions of any insurance policy. Coverage is governed only by the terms and conditions of the relevant policy.

About Aon Affinity
Aon Affinity is a trade name for Affinity Insurance Services, Inc. Aon Affinity combines the specialized knowledge of affinity program management with the extensive resources of a global company to help clients achieve their goals. With an innovative approach to program strategy, from the design of products and services to the delivery of the marketing message, Affinity offers full-service capabilities; technical expertise and industry knowledge to deliver value to clients. Visit http://www.aon.com/affinity for more information.

About Aon
Aon plc (NYSE:AON) is a leading global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, retirement and health solutions. Our 50,000 colleagues in 120 countries empower results for clients by using proprietary data and analytics to deliver insights that reduce volatility and improve performance.

For further information on our capabilities and to learn how we empower results for clients, please visit: http://aon.mediaroom.com.

About CNA
CNA is the eighth largest commercial insurer in the United States. CNA provides a broad range of standard and specialized property and casualty insurance products and services for businesses and professionals in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Asia, backed by 120 years of experience and more than $45 billion of assets. For more information about CNA, visit our website at www.cna.com.

Follow CNA (NYSE: CNA) on: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | YouTube

Louisville, KY, – Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM) announced the appointment of Tanya L. Domier to its Board of Directors, effective January 1, 2018. Ms. Domier is Chief Executive Officer of Advantage Solutions (Advantage), a leading North American provider of outsourced sales, marketing and business solutions to consumer goods manufacturers and retailers.

“Tanya’s extensive sales and marketing background, along with her leadership experience successfully running a customer-driven business, make her an excellent addition to the Yum! Brands Board,” said Robert Walter, Non-Executive Chairman of Yum! Brands. “We’re thrilled to have Tanya join us during this exciting and transformative time for our company as we continue to evolve as the restaurant industry’s leading global franchisor.”

Greg Creed, Chief Executive Officer of Yum! Brands, said, “Tanya is a talented executive with a customer-focused and growth mindset. We look forward to the insights she will bring as we rapidly transform into a more focused, more franchised and more efficient company in order to strengthen and grow KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell globally and deliver more growth to our shareholders.”

Ms. Domier, 51, was named Advantage’s CEO in January 2013 after serving as its President and Chief Operating Officer since 2010. Under Ms. Domier’s leadership, Advantage is developing digital technology solutions to help support brands and retailers in addressing the challenges they face in today’s omni-channel world. After the recently announced, pending acquisition of Daymon Worldwide, Advantage will constitute the only global solutions company with both brand-centric and retailer-centric services. Earlier in her career, Ms. Domier led the formation of Advantage’s marketing division, which has risen to become the top-ranked promotions and experiential agency in the U.S. according to Ad Age.

Ms. Domier joined Advantage in 1990 from The J.M. Smucker Company and has held a variety of executive-level positions in sales, marketing and operations. In addition to her duties as CEO, Ms. Domier is a member of the Board of Directors of Nordstrom, Inc. and of Enactus, an international nonprofit organization promoting entrepreneurship for college students.

Yum! Brands, Inc., based in Louisville, Kentucky, has over 44,000 restaurants in more than 135 countries and territories and is one of the Aon Hewitt Top Companies for Leaders in North America. In 2017, Yum! Brands was named to the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index and among the top 100 Best Corporate Citizens by Corporate Responsibility Magazine. The company’s restaurant brands – KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell – are the global leaders of the chicken, pizza and Mexican-style food categories. Worldwide, the Yum! Brands system opens over six new restaurants per day on average, making it a leader in global retail development.

Marriott International, the country’s leading lodging company, is proud to announce a multi-year partnership with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), making Marriott International the preferred hotel company for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The 100 million+ global members of Marriott’s three loyalty programs – Marriott Rewards, The Ritz-Carlton Rewards, and Starwood Preferred Guests (SPG), including the more than 3.7 million members in Canada, will be big winners with the partnership. Members will be able to redeem points on Marriott Rewards Moments and SPG Moments for once-in-a-lifetime hockey themed experiences with players and legends of the game.

“The cross country popularity of hockey makes the Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment an ideal partner to provide members of Marriott Rewards and SPG with once-in-a-lifetime experiences,” said Don Cleary, President of Marriott International Canada. “We know that Canadians – more so than ever – travel for experiences and our partnership with the Toronto Maple Leafs unlocks the potential for memorable travel.”

“The Toronto Maple Leafs are happy to partner with Marriott International, our country’s leading lodging organization,” said Jeff Deline, Vice President of Global Partnerships at MLSE. “Our hockey club has always strived to deliver incredible experiences for our fans and we’re looking forward to working alongside a brand that does the same for their guests. We know that our fan base love to travel to cheer on their team and this partnership will provide opportunities for incredible memories.”

To celebrate the launch of the partnership, Maple Leaf Alumnus Darcy Tucker and Johnny Bower, surprised an unsuspecting Marriott Rewards member when he checked into Delta Hotels By Marriott Toronto. What was booked as a Marriott Rewards weekend stay in Toronto with Leafs tickets, turned out to be a “money can’t buy” experience with the Toronto Maple Leafs including a morning skate with the team, a behind the scenes tour of Air Canada Centre, an opportunity to bump gloves with the Maple Leafs team as they took to the ice, and the chance to watch the hockey game from VIP platinum seats. A video of his experience is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xlq9Xh11zV8&feature=youtu.be

About Marriott International
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of more than 6,400 properties in 30 leading hotel brands spanning 126 countries and territories. The company also operates award-winning loyalty programs: Marriott Rewards®, which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards®, and Starwood Preferred Guest®. Marriott Hotels of Canada continues to rank as one of the top 50 best places to work in Canada by AON Hewitt and was awarded Hotelier Magazine’s prestigious Company of the Year Pinnacle award for 2015. For more information, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com. Connect with us on Facebook and @MarriottIntl on Twitter and Instagram.

Montego Bay, JAMAICA (November 21, 2017) – Starbucks today opened its first store in Jamaica and entered its 76th market globally, marking a historic milestone for the global coffee company’s Caribbean operations and its storied history of sourcing the highest quality coffee from the region going back more than four decades.

The new café, located at Doctor’s Cave Beach in Montego Bay, offers customers an inviting destination to relax, unwind and connect in one of the area’s most iconic neighborhoods. Featuring custom artwork by local artist Fiona Godfrey, the store’s unique design pays tribute to Jamaica’s history and rich coffee heritage. Customers can enjoy a wide range of Starbucks beverages and food, including its signature handcrafted hot and cold espresso beverages made with 100 percent arabica coffee. To mark this historic opening, the company is also featuring Starbucks Reserve® Jamaica Blue Mountain whole bean coffee, a long-time favorite with Starbucks customers in the U.S. and Canada.

“As a company that has worked for many decades with Jamaica’s coffee growing communities, we are honored to have the opportunity to work our local business partner Caribbean Coffee Baristas to open our first store in the beautiful island nation of Jamaica,” said Ricardo Rico, Starbucks general manager and vice president for Latin America and the Caribbean, who attended the opening celebrations in Montego Bay. “For Starbucks, this is an opportunity to build on more than forty years of the best in-store experience to customers around the globe that is rooted in high-quality coffee and our engaged, knowledgeable baristas. Our new Starbucks Jamaica partners (employees) are ready to welcome customers, as we mark the beginning of this exciting chapter in the Caribbean market.”

Starbucks® stores in Jamaica are operated by Caribbean Coffee Baristas Ltd., a joint venture between Ian Dear, Chief Executive Officer of leading restaurant management and franchise operator Margaritaville Caribbean Group and Adam Stewart, who is also Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sandals Resorts International. Together, they plan to open up to 15 locations in Jamaica over the next five years, with a shared commitment towards creating opportunities for Starbucks employees, delivering a unique and unmatched customer experience, and supporting the region’s coffee producers. Following Montego Bay, the company expects to open in Kingston in 2018.

“As a leading Caribbean hospitality group, our achievements have always been guided by listening, responding and delivering on our customers’ expectations,” said Dear. “Bringing Starbucks, a globally recognized and respected brand, to our Jamaican shores, is a natural progression for us. We pledge to continue providing the high standards that we and Starbucks are known for. This is another occasion for us to create fantastic opportunities, for everyone involved, and to create another global platform for our locally-grown Blue Mountain Coffee. We know that this venture will be highly successful, and we look forward to an exciting future with Starbucks.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Starbucks to Jamaica and bring the Starbucks Experience to customers on the island,” said Stewart. “Through our shared values, including our dedication to delivering the best customer experience, commitment to be an employer of choice, and operating responsibly in the communities we serve, we aim to create a truly unique coffeehouse experience here in Jamaica.”

“In addition, I believe that Starbucks, with its long-standing love of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, represents one of the greatest opportunities for the incremental growth in the export of our locally-grown coffee,” said Stewart.

Honoring Jamaica’s Rich Heritage through Coffee and Design

In celebration of Starbucks launch in the market, customers can now enjoy Starbucks Reserve® Jamaica Blue Mountain whole bean coffee – a rare and exceptional coffee grown by Amber Estate farms in the Blue Mountain region, and roasted exclusively at the state-of-the-art Starbucks Reserve™ Roastery in the company’s hometown of Seattle. The company also plans to source Jamaican coffee for single origin coffees and blends for its stores in other markets across Latin America, and connect agronomists and technical experts from the Starbucks Global Agronomy Center to coffee producers in Jamaica.

“This coffee is an opportunity for us to recognize and thank Jamaica’s coffee growing community for their continued partnership on this special single origin coffee, while introducing our first customers in Jamaica to a very special part of Starbucks own coffee journey – an amazing coffee that is roasted in our one and only Starbucks Reserve Roastery back home in Seattle,” said Rico.

In addition, through a unique store design, the new Starbucks café’ showcases the iconic brand while also celebrating the Jamaican people and their rich culture and heritage. The 1,200-sq.-ft. space sits within the protected Montego Bay Marine Park at Doctor’s Cave Beach, one of the most treasured and renowned beaches in Jamaica. The store features distinctly local design elements such as pickled-wood vaulted ceilings and louvered windows, preserved from their original state and enriched to create an authentic beachside café experience.

Custom artwork from locally based artist Fiona Godfrey is featured throughout the space. Godfrey, an Irish artist who has called Jamaica home for more than 25 years, created a custom mural for the new Starbucks® store featuring a lion, which she notes is the “perfect icon to create a sense of place in Starbucks Montego Bay” as well as the Doctor Bird, a national symbol for Jamaica. The juxtaposition of the small bird and the majestic lion, echo a popular expression in the country – “We likkle but we tallowah” – to show that while Jamaica is a small nation it has had a huge global impact across the arts, culture, sports, coffee and more. Godfrey also incorporated Jamaica’s famous misty blue mountains in the background of her mural – a bow to world-renowned Jamaican coffee. A familiar local greeting of “hail up,” hand-painted by local company Carlton & Sons Signs and Graphix and local artist Sheridan Burgess, greets customers as they enter the store, and a well-wishing “walk good” meets customers at the end of the coffee bar.

The color palette of Godfrey’s mural draws from the colors of Jamaica – black, green, yellow and red – with touches of gold and ochre for the lion’s face. “Jamaicans love gold, and we win a lot of it,” said Godfrey. Similar gold touches can be found throughout the new store. The coffee bar is covered in walnut panels that feature subtle gold-painted reveals, the backwall granite is embedded with delicate gold flecks, and an excerpt from Jamaican poet Reginald M. Murray’s “The Song of the Blue Mountain Stream” is hand-painted in gold, serving as a backdrop as Starbucks baristas craft beverages at the Espresso Bar.

“Fiona did such a beautiful job on the mural for this store, and from the first conversation we had with her, we knew she would be the one to give this store its soul,” said Denise Rodriguez, design manager for the Starbucks store in Jamaica. “The lion is meant to represent the heart and spirit of the Jamaican people. He’s not a fierce or intimidating lion, he’s majestic and mighty, but gentle and caring – connecting eyes with the hummingbird, or Doctor Bird as it’s locally called, and embracing her, acknowledging her, and respecting her. The hummingbird is not threatened by the powerful lion, as they are proudly harmonious, much like Jamaica itself.”

Creating Opportunities for Jamaican Youth

Starbucks has a long history going back more than forty years of investing in the communities it serves worldwide by creating opportunities for young people, particularly those in underserved communities. The company plans to similarly partner with Caribbean Coffee Baristas Ltd. in Jamaica to support initiatives aimed at connecting young men and women in the community with the resources and support they need to succeed. Starbucks partners recently volunteered at the Garland Hall Memorial Children’s Home, painting and refurbishing the orphanage. The company is also looking at ways to support food donation and book and clothing drives.

In line with its global efforts to connect youth to economic opportunities, Starbucks plans to work with the MultiCare Youth Foundation to develop a Life and Work Skills training program for local youth from disadvantaged backgrounds, with a focus on 16- to 29-year-olds who are not in school or employed. With funding from The Starbucks Foundation, the program is intended to support youth in both Montego Bay and Kingston and will include customer service skills training to ensure youth are ready to access employment in the retail, service, or hospitality industries. By working with the MultiCare Youth Foundation, Starbucks also plans to include volunteer opportunities for partners to serve as mentors to participating youth.

Starbucks has operated stores in the Caribbean since 2002, when it opened its first store in Puerto Rico’s Old San Juan. It now operates in six Caribbean markets, including the Bahamas, Aruba, Curacao, Trinidad and Tobago, and now Jamaica. For Starbucks, which first opened in 1971 in Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market, the opening in Jamaica marks its 17th market in the Latin America and Caribbean region and 76th global market.

The elusive unicorn from medieval legend has been making a comeback. Once only found in enchanted forests, unicorns have been popping up in social media with shimmering unicorn-themed food and drinks. Now Starbucks is taking the trend to a new level with its first Unicorn Frappuccino® blended beverage, available starting Wednesday, April 19, through Sunday, April 23, while supplies last.

The Unicorn Frappuccino blended crème is made with a sweet dusting of pink powder, blended into a crème Frappuccino with mango syrup and layered with a pleasantly sour blue drizzle. It is finished with vanilla whipped cream and a sprinkle of sweet pink and sour blue powder topping.

Like its mythical namesake, the Unicorn Frappuccino blended crème comes with a bit of magic, starting as a purple beverage with swirls of blue and a first taste that is sweet and fruity. But give it a stir and its color changes to pink, and the flavor evolves to tangy and tart. The more swirl, the more the beverage’s color and flavors transform.

This limited-time offering is as fleeting as a rainbow, available April 19-23, while supplies last in participating Starbucks® stores in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

IHG values the relationship we have with our guests and understands the importance of protecting payment card data.

What Happened

Many IHG-branded locations are independently owned and operated franchises, and certain of these franchisee operated locations in the Americas were made aware by payment card networks of patterns of unauthorized charges occurring on payment cards after they were legitimately used at their locations. To ensure an efficient and effective response, IHG hired a leading cyber security firm on behalf of franchisees to coordinate an examination of the payment card processing systems of franchise hotel locations in the Americas region.

The investigation identified signs of the operation of malware designed to access payment card data from cards used onsite at front desks at certain IHG-branded franchise hotel locations between September 29, 2016 and December 29, 2016. Although there is no evidence of unauthorized access to payment card data after December 29, 2016, confirmation that the malware was eradicated did not occur until the properties were investigated in February and March 2017. Before this incident began, many IHG-branded franchise hotel locations had implemented IHG’s Secure Payment Solution (SPS), a point-to-point encryption payment acceptance solution. Properties that had implemented SPS before September 29, 2016 were not affected. Many more properties implemented SPS after September 29, 2016, and the implementation of SPS ended the ability of the malware to find payment card data and, therefore, cards used at these locations after SPS implementation were not affected.

A list of affected IHG franchise locations and respective time frames, which may vary by location, is available here.

What Information Was Involved

The malware searched for track data (which sometimes has cardholder name in addition to card number, expiration date, and internal verification code) read from the magnetic stripe of a payment card as it was being routed through the affected hotel server. There is no indication that other guest information was affected.

What You Can Do

It is always advisable to remain vigilant to the possibility of fraud by reviewing your payment card statements for any unauthorized activity. You should immediately report any unauthorized charges to your card issuer because payment card rules generally provide that cardholders are not responsible for unauthorized charges reported in a timely manner. The phone number to call is usually on the back of your payment card. Please see the section that follows this notice for additional steps you may take.

What We Are Doing

On behalf of franchisees, IHG has been working closely with the payment card networks as well as with the cyber security firm to confirm that the malware has been eradicated and evaluate ways for franchisees to enhance security measures. Law enforcement also has been notified.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, — When you gamble, use your GameSense. That’s the message MGM Resorts International will be sharing with its customers across North America as part of an agreement with BCLC, British Columbia’s provincial gambling corporation, to license its responsible gambling program, GameSense. MGM anticipates having GameSense fully integrated into all of its properties across the USA within the year.

Landmark Agreement for Responsible Gambling: MGM Resorts Adopts BCLC’s GameSense Program. (L-R: Jim Lightbody, President and CEO, BCLC. Alan Feldman, Exec. VP of Global Industry Affairs, MGM Resorts).

The agreement, announced at the fifth annual New Horizons in Responsible Gambling Conference in Vancouver, B.C., marks the first time a program of this kind is being licensed by any commercial gaming company in North America.

Jim Lightbody, BCLC President & CEO, said, “We believe it’s our role to take the lead in providing better responsible gambling programming that supports our players, helps reduce harm and strengthens the gaming industry as a whole. We are thrilled MGM Resorts recognizes the value of our GameSense program, and wants to align with us to further the positive role it can play in reducing gambling-related harm.”

Introduced by BCLC in 2009, GameSense is an innovative, player-focused responsible gambling program that encourages players to adopt behaviours and attitudes that can reduce the risk of developing gambling disorders.

MGM is adopting GameSense to enhance awareness and education about responsible gambling for players and guests and, in doing so, raising the standards within the industry.

Alan Feldman, MGM Resorts International Executive Vice President of Global Industry Affairs, said, “MGM is excited to adopt the GameSense platform and to form this dynamic research enterprise. Our vision for GameSense is to transform the guest experience at our properties by providing a program that is rooted in enhanced customer service, player education, and leading research.”

As part of the agreement, MGM has committed to funding $1 million USD over five years, towards a research partnership between BCLC, MGM, and the University of Nevada Las Vegas’ (UNLV) International Gaming Institute. UNLV will help facilitate development of a consortium of internationally renowned experts in responsible gambling, and will also work closely with the University of British Columbia’s Centre for Gambling Research. This will include a multi-faceted research project to enhance GameSense and all responsible gambling products based on new, data-driven, scientifically-based expertise in responsible gambling.

About GameSense:
Introduced by BCLC in 2009, GameSense is an innovative, player-focused responsible gambling program that encourages players to adopt behaviours and attitudes that can reduce the risk of developing gambling disorders. This includes setting and sticking to personally-allocated time and monetary limits for gambling, as well as being open and honest with family, friends and oneself when it comes to personal gambling habits.

GameSense has earned international recognition such as the World Lottery Association’s Best Overall Responsible Gambling Program (2010), and the U.S.- based National Council on Problem Gambling’s Social Responsibility Award (2015). In addition to being licensed and piloted at MGM Resort International casino properties, the program has been implemented by Connecticut Lottery, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission and Canadian provinces Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

About BCLC:
BCLC is a Crown corporation offering socially responsible gambling entertainment through 35 casino gaming properties, 7 bingo halls, over 3,800 lottery retailers and through its online gaming website, PlayNow.com. Last year, BCLC generated more than $1.3 billion in net income to benefit provincial and community programs, including healthcare, education and charities across British Columbia, Canada.

About MGM Resorts:
MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) is one of the world’s leading global hospitality companies, operating a portfolio of destination resort brands including Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and The Mirage. The Company opened MGM National Harbor in Maryland on December 8, 2016, and is in the process of developing MGM Springfield in Massachusetts. MGM Resorts controls and holds a 76 percent economic interest in the operating partnership of MGM Growth Properties LLC (NYSE: MGP), a premier triple-net lease real estate investment trust engaged in the acquisition, ownership and leasing of large-scale destination entertainment and leisure resorts. The Company also owns 56 percent of MGM China Holdings Limited (SEHK: 2282), which owns MGM MACAU and is developing MGM COTAI, and 50 percent of CityCenter in Las Vegas, which features ARIA Resort & Casino. MGM Resorts is named among FORTUNE® Magazine’s 2016 list of World’s Most Admired Companies®. For more information about MGM Resorts International, visit the Company’s website at www.mgmresorts.com.

MGM is committed to reducing gambling related harm, and provides leadership and funding for the U.S. National Center for Responsible Gaming.

SHANGHAI; – Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ: SBUX) today announced the launch of “用星说” (Say it with Starbucks), a new social gifting feature on Weixin, in China. Co-created by Starbucks and Weixin, China’s leading mobile social communications service, this pioneering online-to-offline social gifting innovation encourages everyday acts of kindness and appreciation among family and friends, by enabling users to instantly and conveniently gift a Starbucks beverage or digital gift card. Starbucks is the first retail brand to bring to life a locally-relevant social gifting experience in China. The launch today follows the strategic partnership announcement between Starbucks and Tencent in December 2016.

“Our new social gifting feature aims to deepen the shared moments of connection by allowing our customers to express their love, concern and gratitude, with the gift of Starbucks, to the people most important to them,” said Belinda Wong, ceo, Starbucks China. ”By leveraging the power and reach of Weixin, we want to encourage everyday simple acts of kindness to put a smile on someone’s face at any time or place, while elevating the unique Starbucks Experience beyond our retail stores in China.”

During the initial launch period, Weixin has opened a convenient access for ‘Say it with Starbucks’ users in its Weixin Wallet-function, demonstrating the significance of the strategic partnership to both companies. The Starbucks China Weixin official account continues to provide a fast, permanent access to the social gifting feature.

Users will be able to select from a carefully curated selection of Starbucks-branded gifts and add a personalized message in the form of text, image or video to uplift the day of a loved one. Once a gift is received, it will be saved in the recipient’s Weixin app and can be redeemed at any Starbucks store in Mainland China.

“This is the beginning of an exciting social gifting journey for Starbucks. During the trial phase two weeks ago, our partners (employees) and many Starbucks customers became the first in China to experience this innovation and have conveyed tens of thousands of gestures of love, gratitude and care to their friends and loved ones,” added Molly Liu, vp, China Digital Ventures. “We are looking forward to inspire even more of our customers to show their love and appreciation through ‘Say it with Starbucks.’ Meanwhile, we will continue to enhance the social gifting experience to celebrate important festivals and holidays in China and the special moments in our customers’ lives.”

A sister product of WeChat, Weixin targets Chinese domestic users, and together, the platform has 846 million global monthly active users (as of the third quarter of 2016).

BETHESDA, Md., Sept. 23, 2016 – Today, the most iconic and visionary name in hospitality, Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR), expands to include 30 of the most desirable and prestigious hotel brands with the addition of the Starwood Hotels & Resorts portfolio.

At a time when travelers place even greater emphasis on enriching and personal experiences, they can now choose from the most diverse selection of hotel brands ever. With more than 5,700 hotels and 1.1 million rooms in over 110 countries across the globe, guests now have access to the best hotels and resorts wherever they travel. Marriott International’s portfolio now includes a series of quintessential luxury and lifestyle names. The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, Bulgari Hotels & Resorts, JW Marriott, The Luxury Collection, W Hotels and EDITION define a new era of luxury travel, with dynamic brands such as Westin, Renaissance and Autograph Collection occupying an evolving lifestyle category. Premium brands like Marriott Hotels and Sheraton anchor the portfolio and provide a broad array of choices around the world for business and leisure travel. And new, fun, accessible experiences at Moxy Hotels, AC Hotels and Aloft add to the portfolio, ensuring our guests have whatever they want, wherever they are in the world.

“The marriage of these two leading hotel companies means Marriott will deliver an unparalleled guest experience with more hotels in more global destinations, an unrivaled range of comprehensive accommodations to suit every traveler, and the industry’s best loyalty programs,” said Arne Sorenson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Marriott International. “Providing such a wide selection reinforces our enduring commitment to offering guests an even greater world to explore with Marriott at their side.”

Expanded Loyalty Benefits
Also starting later today, members of Marriott’s leading loyalty programs, Marriott Rewards – which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards – and Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), are invited to link their accounts at members.marriott.com to enjoy the benefits, recognition and experiences each program has to offer. Members will have their status matched across programs and be able to transfer and redeem points across programs for travel to more destinations than ever before. Members who link their accounts will be able to transfer points at a three-to-one ratio (three Marriott Rewards points = one SPG Starpoint) between the programs for redemption stays or on the Marriott Rewards Experiences Marketplace or SPG’s Moments platform.

“Marriott’s and Starwood’s guests have shown tremendous loyalty to our brands and now that we are one company, we are seizing the opportunity to reinforce our loyalty to them,” said Stephanie Linnartz, Executive Vice President and Global Chief Commercial Officer. “Beginning now, we’re drawing upon the best of our loyalty programs by enabling members to join or link their accounts and immediately receive reciprocal status and benefits.”

Members of Marriott Rewards – which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards – and SPG will immediately be able to take advantage of these benefits:

Status Match: Receive immediate status match across programs to take advantage of robust member benefits and recognition.

Points Transfer & Redemption: Transfer points between programs to access new and exciting redemption opportunities. Redeem points to visit new destinations, indulge interests with exclusive experiences, and purchase merchandise through the loyalty shopping mall.

Moments / Experiences: Gain exclusive access to money-can’t-buy events and experiences powered by our combined portfolio of exciting global partnerships in music, sports (including professional football, baseball, basketball, and tennis), and entertainment.

Access to More Destinations: Now Marriott Rewards and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards members can use points to travel to new, sought-after destinations such as the Maldives; Santorini, Greece; and Bora Bora, while SPG members have access to popular locales such as Aruba; Tuscany’s Serchio Valley; and Kruger National Park, South Africa.

Member Rates: Members of the loyalty programs who link their accounts will be able to take advantage of exclusive Member Rates – our lowest guaranteed rates – when they book direct on the Marriott mobile app or SPG app, on Marriott.com or SPG.com, through a call center or with a hotel. (Note: Marriott Rewards Member Rates are only available on Marriott booking channels, SPG Member Rates are only available on SPG booking channels and both are based on hotel availability.)

Mobile: When members book their stays directly with Marriott, they can use the Marriott mobile app to check in and check out, receive an alert when their room is ready, as well as make service requests directly to participating hotels using Mobile Requests before, during, and after their stays. Similarly, SPG’s mobile app allows guests to use SPG Keyless to check in, get their room number and unlock the room door using their smartphone or Apple® Watch at participating hotels.

Free Wi-Fi: When loyalty members book direct through the Marriott mobile or SPG apps, on Marriott.com or SPG.com they will always receive free in-room Wi-Fi.

Introducing Global Travel Day
Marriott International will officially launch Global Travel Day inspired by the spirit of travel and created to highlight the extraordinary travel experiences brought to life through the new Marriott portfolio of hotels. Global Travel Day will come alive on Friday, October 14, 2016 at New York City’s iconic Rockefeller Center® with a 4,140-square foot interactive map showcasing Marriott’s now more than 5,700 properties worldwide – unveiled for visitors to explore and celebrate all the places they can now travel with Marriott. In addition to the map experience, Marriott will place larger-than-life push pins in front of all Starwood and Marriott properties in New York City marking the breadth of Marriott’s new portfolio.

Loyalty members in the U.S. will also have a chance to win one of 30 travel packages through a unique social media sweepstakes. Beginning on October 14, loyalty members will be able to enter by sharing their dream destination with @MarriottRewards and @SPG on Twitter or Instagram, along with the push pin emoji and #YouAreHere #Sweepstakes.*

In addition to the social sweepstakes, members of Marriott Rewards and SPG can also access an array of unique global experiences, such as:

Super Bowl LI party and suite at the game exclusively for Marriott Rewards members, and other unique NFL experiences such as exclusive tailgate experiences and meet-and-greets with NFL Legends for UK-based Marriott Rewards members at the NFL International Series

Tickets and meet-and-greet opportunities with NBA Legends for Marriott Rewards members at NBA Global Games China 2016: Houston Rockets vs. New Orleans Pelicans at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai and LeSports Center in Beijing

SPG members-only dining experiences including kitchen tours, cooking demonstrations, signed cookbooks, photos and autographs with chefs at some of the world’s best restaurants, including Minibar (Washington, DC), Alinea (Chicago), Trois Mec (Los Angeles), Craft (NYC), Quintonil (Mexico City), The French Laundry (Napa), and L’Arpege (Paris)

Tickets to the 2016 World Series and other exclusive Major League Baseball (MLB) ballpark experiences including tickets, batting practice viewing and more during the MLB Postseason, including the American and National League Wild Card games, Division Series and League Championship Series
SPG Luxury Suite at Madison Square Garden in New York City, STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, The O2 Arena in London and Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai for concerts and sporting events available exclusively to SPG members

For a comprehensive list of all the experiences available to loyalty members please visit the Experiences Marketplace and SPG Moments websites. To join Marriott Rewards – which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards – or SPG, and to see full rules, please visit members.marriott.com.

*No Purchase Necessary. Open to Marriott Rewards, Starwood Preferred Guest, and Ritz-Carlton Rewards members who are residents of the 50 United States (D.C.) and at least 18 years old. Enter Sweepstakes from 10/14 – 10/21. Rules will be available before promotion launch for all details, including prize descriptions and odds.

Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is the world’s largest hotel company based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, with more than 5,700 properties in over 110 countries. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts. The company’s 30 leading brands include: Bulgari Hotels and Resorts®, The Ritz-Carlton® and The Ritz-Carlton Reserve®, St. Regis®, W®, EDITION®, JW Marriott®, The Luxury Collection®, Marriott Hotels®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Renaissance® Hotels, Sheraton®, Delta Hotels by MarriottSM, Marriott Executive Apartments®, Marriott Vacation Club®, Autograph Collection® Hotels, Tribute Portfolio™, Design Hotels™, Gaylord Hotels®, Courtyard®, Four Points® by Sheraton, SpringHill Suites®, Fairfield Inn & Suites®, Residence Inn®, TownePlace Suites®, AC Hotels by Marriott®, Aloft®, Element®, Moxy Hotels®, and Protea Hotels by Marriott®. The company also operates award-winning loyalty programs: Marriott Rewards®, which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards®, and Starwood Preferred Guest®. For more information, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com and @MarriottIntl.

BETHESDA, Md., Sept. 23, 2016 – Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) has completed its acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., creating the world’s largest and best hotel company. Marriott now offers the most comprehensive portfolio of brands including leading lifestyle brands, a significant global footprint, and leadership in the luxury and select-service tiers as well as the convention and resort segment. Beginning today, Marriott will match member status across Marriott Rewards – which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards – and Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), enabling members to transfer points between the programs for travel and exclusive experiences when they link their accounts later today.

“Throughout our nearly 90-year history we have never stopped searching for innovative ways to serve our guests. With the addition of Starwood’s strong brands, great properties, and talented people, we have dramatically expanded our ability to provide the best experiences to our customers. We also welcome the tremendous responsibility as the world’s largest hotel company to be a good global steward, providing new opportunities for our associates and building the economic strength of the communities we call home,” said J.W. Marriott, Jr., Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board of Marriott International.

“We believe that Marriott now has the world’s best portfolio of hotel brands, the most comprehensive global footprint, and the most extensive loyalty programs, providing an unparalleled guest experience. Combining Starwood’s brands with ours better enables Marriott to reach our goal of having the right brand in the right place to serve our loyal guests and welcome new ones,” said Arne Sorenson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Marriott International. “We can now provide a better range of choices for our guests, more opportunities for our associates, and greater financial benefits for our owners, franchisees, and shareholders.”

The new company will operate or franchise more than 5,700 properties and 1.1 million rooms, representing 30 leading brands from the moderate-tier to luxury in over 110 countries. With the completion of this acquisition, Marriott’s distribution has more than doubled in Asia and the Middle East & Africa combined.

Best-in-Class Loyalty Programs
Marriott Rewards – which includes the Ritz-Carlton Rewards – and SPG are the most recognized and awarded loyalty programs in hospitality. Together, these programs will offer members more benefits when they link their accounts, as well as new destinations such as Aruba, Tuscany’s Serchio Valley and Kruger National Park in South Africa for SPG members and the Maldives, Bora Bora and Santorini, Greece for Marriott Rewards and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards members.

“Marriott will draw upon the very best each program offers and we can’t wait to show the loyal members of these programs the power and benefits of Marriott and Starwood coming together,” said Stephanie Linnartz, Executive Vice President and Global Chief Commercial Officer.

Marriott will launch a microsite later today, www.members.marriott.com, for all members of the combined company’s loyalty programs to learn more about the reciprocal benefits now available and to link accounts.

Transaction Benefits
Marriott’s acquisition of Starwood enables the combined company to expand the scope of its distribution and portfolio while deploying its larger scale to realize cost efficiencies in its corporate and property operations. As previously stated, Marriott is confident the company can achieve $250 million in annual corporate cost synergies. Additional synergies at the property level should come in the form of leveraging scale in operations and sharing best practices. Combined sales expertise and improved account coverage are expected to provide both enhanced efficiencies and increased revenue opportunities for managed and franchised properties.

“These enhanced efficiencies and revenue opportunities should drive improved property-level profitability as well as greater owner and franchisee preference for the combined company’s brands, which will encourage new hotel development,” Sorenson said. “As new travel destinations emerge, Marriott can be counted on to be there.”

One-time transaction costs for the merger are expected to total approximately $140 million. Marriott intends to take the steps necessary to cause Starwood’s outstanding public debt to be pari passu with the outstanding public debt of Marriott International. Marriott remains committed to maintaining an investment grade credit rating and to continue managing the balance sheet prudently after the merger.

New Board Members and Shares Listing
Effective today, Marriott’s Board of Directors has increased from 11 to 14 members, with the addition of Bruce Duncan, Chairman, President and CEO of First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc., Eric Hippeau, Partner, Lerer Hippeau Ventures; and Aylwin Lewis, Chairman and CEO of Potbelly Corporation. Messrs. Hippeau and Lewis are also former Starwood board members. Full biographies on each of the three new Board members are available at www.Marriott.com/investor.

Before market open today, Starwood’s shares will cease trading on the New York Stock Exchange. As previously announced, Starwood shareholders will receive $21.00 in cash and 0.80 shares of Marriott International, Inc. Class A common stock for each share of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. common stock.

Arne Sorenson remains President and Chief Executive Officer of Marriott International, and Marriott’s headquarters continues to be located in Bethesda, Maryland.

In early June, we announced that we would review every aspect of the Airbnb platform to help ensure we are doing everything we can to fight bias and discrimination. We asked Laura Murphy, the former head of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Washington D.C. Legislative Office, to lead the process.

During our review, we looked at every part of Airbnb and sought advice from experts such as former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and the leaders of dozens of different organizations.

Today, Laura issued a comprehensive report outlining the review process and some of the steps Airbnb is taking to make our community fair for everyone. You can read the report, Airbnb’s Work To Fight Discrimination and Build Inclusion, here.

Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky is sending an email to Airbnb hosts and guests outlining these efforts. You can read his message below.

Dear Airbnb community,
At the heart of our mission is the idea that people are fundamentally good and every community is a place where you can belong. We don’t say this because it sounds nice. It’s the goal that everyone at Airbnb works towards every day – because we’ve all seen how when we live together, we better understand each other.

Discrimination is the opposite of belonging, and its existence on our platform jeopardizes this core mission. Bias and discrimination have no place on Airbnb, and we have zero tolerance for them. Unfortunately, we have been slow to address these problems, and for this I am sorry. I take responsibility for any pain or frustration this has caused members of our community. We will not only make this right; we will work to set an example that other companies can follow.

In June, we asked Laura Murphy, the former head of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Washington D.C. Legislative Office, to review every aspect of the Airbnb platform, and to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to fight bias and discrimination. Thanks to Laura’s leadership, today we’re releasing a report that outlines the results of that process. You can read the full report here, but I’d like to highlight four changes that will impact the way our platform works:

Airbnb Community Commitment
Beginning November 1, everyone who uses Airbnb must agree to a stronger, more detailed nondiscrimination policy. We aren’t just asking you to check a box associated with a long legal document. We’re asking everyone to agree to something we’re calling the Airbnb Community Commitment, which says:

We believe that no matter who you are, where you are from, or where you travel, you should be able to belong in the Airbnb community. By joining this community, you commit to treat all fellow members of this community, regardless of race, religion, national origin, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation or age, with respect, and without judgment or bias.

Open Doors
We’ll be implementing a new policy called Open Doors. Starting October 1st, if a Guest anywhere in the world feels like they have been discriminated against in violation of our policy – in trying to book a listing, having a booking canceled, or in any other interaction with a host – we will find that Guest a similar place to stay if one is available on Airbnb, or if not, we will find them an alternative accommodation elsewhere. This program will also apply retroactively to any Guest who reported discrimination prior to today. All of these Guests will be offered booking assistance for their next trip.

Instant Book
We’ll increase the availability of Instant Book, which allows our hosts to offer their homes to be booked immediately without their prior approval of a specific guest. Instant Book makes booking easier for everyone, and our goal is to have 1 million listings bookable via Instant Book by January 1st, 2017.

Anti-bias training
We are working with experts on bias, including Dr. Robert Livingston of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and Dr. Peter Glick of Lawrence University, to make anti-bias training available to our community, and will be publicly acknowledging those who complete it.

These steps are just the beginning, not the end, of our efforts to combat bias and discrimination.

While we as a company have been slow on this issue, I am now asking you the community to help us lead the way forward. Every time you make someone else feel like they belong, that person feels accepted and safe to be themselves. While this may sound like a small act of kindness, we are a community of millions of people strong. Imagine what we can do together.

Brian Chesky
CEO, Co-founder

LAS VEGAS-Jun. 29, 2016– Diamond Resorts International, Inc. (“Diamond Resorts” or the “Company”) (NYSE: DRII) today announced that it has entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with affiliates of certain funds (the “Apollo Funds”) managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, LLC (together with its consolidated subsidiaries, “Apollo”) (NYSE: APO), pursuant to which the Apollo Funds will acquire Diamond Resorts for $30.25 per share or approximately $2.2 billion.

The all-cash offer represents a premium of approximately 26% over Diamond Resorts’ closing share price on June 28, 2016, and a premium of approximately 58% over the closing share price on February 24, 2016, the day of Diamond Resorts’ announcement that it was exploring strategic alternatives.

Mr. David Palmer, Chief Executive Officer of Diamond Resorts, said, “We have built a solid business focused on operational excellence, hospitality, and customer satisfaction, the result of which has been stellar financial results and strong cash generation. This transaction is an excellent outcome for our shareholders. Apollo values the culture of hospitality and customer service that is the legacy of our Founder and Chairman Stephen J. Cloobeck and instilled in our organization. We are confident that Diamond Resorts will continue to be a vibrant company for our employees, partners and customers, and I am excited about the future of Diamond Resorts.”

The transaction will be completed through an all-cash tender offer. The Company’s Board of Directors, acting upon the recommendation of its Strategic Review Committee (the “Strategic Review Committee”), approved and adopted the Merger Agreement and recommends that the Company’s shareholders tender their shares in the offer pursuant to the Merger Agreement.

“We are tremendously excited about the opportunity for our funds to acquire Diamond Resorts,” said David Sambur, Partner at Apollo. “Stephen, David, the management team, and Diamond’s more than 8,000 team members have built an amazing customer-centric business with a great reputation that delivers award winning hospitality experiences at great value. We look forward to bringing Apollo’s resources to bear and working with the Diamond Resorts team to continue to grow and enhance their business.”

The transaction is conditioned upon satisfaction of the minimum tender condition which requires that shares representing more than 50 percent of the Company’s common shares be tendered and the receipt of certain regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

There is no financing condition to completion of the tender offer and the merger. Financing is being provided by Barclays, Royal Bank of Canada, and Jefferies. PSP Investments Credit USA LLC is also providing debt financing commitments.

The transaction is currently expected to close over the next few months. If completed, the transaction will result in the Company becoming a privately held company, and Diamond Resorts’ common shares will no longer be listed on any public market.

Centerview Partners is serving as exclusive financial advisor to the Strategic Review Committee. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is serving as legal advisor to the Strategic Review Committee. DLA Piper LLP served as special counsel and Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP served as antitrust counsel to the Company. Barclays and RBC Capital Markets, LLC are acting as M&A advisors to Apollo and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is acting as legal advisor to Apollo.

About Apollo
Apollo is a leading global alternative investment manager with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, Bethesda, Toronto, London, Frankfurt, Madrid, Luxembourg, Mumbai, Delhi, Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai. Apollo had assets under management of approximately $173 billion as of March 31, 2016 in private equity, credit and real estate funds invested across a core group of nine industries where Apollo has considerable knowledge and resources. For more information about Apollo, visit www.agm.com.

About Diamond Resorts International
Diamond Resorts International (NYSE: DRII), with its network of more than 420 vacation destinations located in 35 countries throughout the continental United States, Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, South America, Central America, Europe, Asia, Australasia and Africa, provides guests with choice and flexibility to let them create their dream vacation, whether they are traveling an hour away or around the world. Our relaxing vacations have the power to give guests an increased sense of happiness and satisfaction in their lives, while feeling healthier and more fulfilled in their relationships, by enjoying memorable and meaningful experiences that let them Stay Vacationed.